The Mind Upload Program
by alexdindu
Summary: Adam Malkovich recalls a pivotal moment in his past, and has his mind uploaded to a computer for the first time.
1. Part I: A Memory and The Lab

In the earliest years of the Space Pirate War, Adam Malkovich had wanted nothing more but the simple glory and dignified pride of the military life. As a young private, he was deployed to the first official reconnaissance mission to Planet Zebes. It was a high risk mission, although it didn't involve any combat. They were meant to simply pass by close enough to get a scan of its surface, but if their vessel was detected, it would violate a condition of a trade agreement with the planets inhabitants.

Zebes was a world known to be inhabited by the Chozo, but the Galactic Federation had agreed to have zero contact with it, in turn receiving technology that was far more advanced than what humans could come up with on their own. The Chozo also eagerly accepted trades of the mineral afloraltite, and the Federation was just as eager to get their hands on more of their scientific and intellectual wonders. It was a decent agreement, but with the destruction of a major star colony, K2-L, just a few galaxies away, the Federation was nervous. They had tabs on nearly every planet nearby, except for Zebes. Paranoid, they sent out the 4th Platoon of the Recon and Infantry Corps, headed then by a less-wrinkled and less tenured Commander Dane.

Only eight members of 4 Platoon's thirty-seven soldiers were chosen, Adam amongst them. In a sleekly designed Rogue-class starship, they drifted close enough to do a bio-scan on a portion of the surface. They found the entrance to a vast cave network beneath a jungle, a few easily identified Chozodian bio-signs, and... the bio-signs of a human girl.

"Sir..." Adam began, turning toward the raised platform at the rear of the ship.

Commander Dane glanced at him, then back to his own screens, which displayed each of his subordinates monitors. He flicked over to Adam's scans and selected the section that showed the abnormality.

He stood up, tense with disbelief. "Yes, I... see that."

The other seven people were still fervently documenting never-before-seen plant forms and creatures as fast as they could process it, but they slowed when Dane remained standing, staring at his console.

"Something wrong, sir?" a female corporal asked.

"Have a look," he said gruffly, showing the scan over the transparent hull at the front of the ship. It showed the bio-signature of a human toddler, and an elderly Chozo nearby. They appeared to be playing hide-and-seek at the edge of the jungle.

The crew was stunned, observing it quietly for a few minutes.

"Sir, if I may," Adam broke the silence, clearing his throat. "We should get the hell out of here before they see us."

The commander sat down again, his brows knotted tightly. "You're right, Private. I've been standing here slack jawed like a damn fool. Finish your last scans and strap yourselves in."

They did as they were told. In the center of the ship were two rows of four seats, back to back, with some serious-looking harnesses dangling off the top. One was empty when they were all settled; the lieutenant was at the control console, prepared to ignite the power thrusters as soon as Dane gave word.

"We inched our way in, now we gotta inch our way out," he said, carefully guiding the ship away from Zebes' orbit without any extraordinary fire power.

4 Platoon only nodded, with a few quiet and affirmative 'sirs'. He made the call a few long minutes later, and they flashed out of the vicinity, nervous that they'd seen something they maybe shouldn't have.

Adam, now a commander himself, let out a chuff at the vivid recall of his first memorable mission. He was nervous now, too, but for a different reason. A tall, slender woman wearing a long white coat walked brusquely at his side, mostly in silence. Dr. Holden wasn't much for words and that suited him just fine. He was lost in his vast library of military memories anyway, and he knew why, but mentally couldn't stop it. He'd been down this hallway many times in the past few weeks, but now, with its dark grey aesthetic and dim white lights, it seemed sinister.

"This way, sir," Dr. Holden took a sharp left turn, then abruptly stopped in front of a sliding door. A grid in the top half offered a glimpse of what was inside - a brightly lit and sterile labratory. She flashed a card at a reader, and the door beeped happily and let them inside. "We relocated from downstairs since last week."

"You guys are quick," he remarked dryly.

Inside, there was an impressive and sleek-looking computer set up against a glass window, which connected to a dentist-like chair in the room beyond. A pudgy black man was seated on a rolling stool near the computer, but he turned as the pair entered.

"Commander Malkovich," Dr. Ackerly smiled widely, bracing his hands between his knees. "I'm glad you could make it today. I know you expressed some anxiety last time you were here."

Adam straightened as Dr. Holden went over to the counter lining the wall to the left. She began preparing a few syringes, and he knew there was no backing out now. "Yes. I suppose I'm worried that whatever you record will also be wiped from my organic memory."

"Well, we can give you something to relax, if you like," he offered as he started the necessary preliminary processes on the console.

Adam shook his head. "No, that won't be necessary."

"Alright. Anything else we can do to put you at ease?"

"Just tell me what the hell you're putting in me _this_ time. I see an extra syringe over there," he looked over at the counter, where Dr. Holden had just finished making up the drugs.

"20mg of Hilaprophen, the exact formula and batch we tested with you successfully last time, sir," she said, trying to comfort him. "50mg of standard dimehydrinate if you happen to feel nauseated, and a very slow, gradual dose of fospropofol to sedate you. The fospropofol will relax the neural pathways that need to be relaxed, and the Hilaprophen will 'activate' others. It will also put you right to sleep, like last time, and we'll monitor you for side effects afterward. The computer itself needs minimal attention after the initial connections to your brain. We will be focused on your physical condition."

His shoulders dropped in relief. "So the only new one is that anti-nausea drug."

"Yes, and only if you feel sick after the hilaprophen and fospropofol together."

Adam took off the jacket of his formal wear, leaving him in white slacks and a white button up shirt. "Alright, let's do it."


	2. Part II: The Upload

"Dr. Holden will get you ready inside," Dr. Ackerly said as he stood to take Adam's jacket. He gave his shoulder a quick squeeze. "You're helping us do incredible science, Commander. Thank you."

Adam gave him a short nod as Dr. Holden joined him, sliding the syringes into a broad pocket on the front of her lab coat. Another reader at the door required her fingerprint, which she gave, and the glass door slid sideways to let them into the sterile room. She quickly grabbed a pair of latex gloves from a box fitted to the wall just inside the door.

"Have a seat, Adam."

A pang of nervousness rang through his body, settling as static on his skull as he sat down in the pleather chair. It squeaked loudly when he brushed his shoes over the end.

"You may take those off for comfort, if you wish," she said, turning from a supply desk with a blood pressure cuff. She plugged it into the back of the chair, where it was connected to the computer on the other side of the window, and also to a small screen up and to right of Adam's head.

"It's alright. I'll just be asleep, anyway," he replied, shuffling to get comfortable.

"I know you're anxious, Commander, but they can't hear us in here, and anything you say right now is off-record," she tried to assure him as she fixed the blood pressure cuff to his left arm.

He relaxed a bit at that. "You may still call me Adam. It helps," he admitted.

Dr. Holden smiled gently. "And you can call me Gwen, okay? We're going to be working together for a long time. And formalities are _so_ exhausting."

Although Adam did enjoy his rank, he appreciated the friendliness right now. He noted that she was only ever this chatty when they were alone - maybe she was just better one on one, like he was.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Dr. Ackerly was being sincere, by the way. I can give you a benzodiazepine if you need to calm down," she offered as she turned again.

"Really, it's fine. I wouldn't want it to interfere."

"We factored for that, if you ended up panicking or the like."

Adam frowned a bit. He definitely wasn't the type to panic. But, given the circumstance, he supposed they had to. "I'll be okay."

She went to the supply desk and returned this time with some leads and electrodes, and a wireless pulse oximeter for his left index finger. His heartrate showed up on the small screen almost immediately, beeping steadily and within normal range for a mildly anxious adult man. She looked out the window for affirmation from Dr. Ackerly, to make sure he was getting the feed as well. He gave a thumbs up, but turned as a short, buff female entered the labratory.

Dr. Holden chuffed quietly, and Adam turned as well.

"Who is that?" He asked, squinting through the dark glass. It made it appear as though the room on the other side was dimly lit, even though it was quite the opposite, and he couldn't quite make out the figure.

"Oh, the major just arrived, late as always," she remarked.

"Hmph. You'd think the Bureau's correspondant would be more punctual."

She leaned in on him, studying his face for a moment. "You'd think. Now, relax and lean back into this thing," she tapped a smooth metal electrode built into the neck of the chair.

He did so, but the metal was only just touching his neck. "I'm relaxed," he said sarcastically.

She brusquely reached for a small communication device in her pocket, bringing it to her mouth and holding down a button. "Can you increase the pressure on the main lead?"

"Yep," Dr. Ackerly's voice crackled through a small speaker by the window. He adjusted it slightly, and the metal pushed itself into Adam's neck. "That good?"

Adam gave a thumbs up to him, and she dropped the device back into her pocket.

"Majoy Mahoney from Sensitive Matters just arrived to witness the magic," he said, mostly to Dr. Holden. "She gives her regards to you, Commander. Says good luck."

"Thanks," he said in the direction of the window, raising his eybrows briefly.

She finished the preparations by sticking two smaller electrodes to each of his temples, and rolled the stool over from the desk to his side. "You are doing extremely important work with us; I hope you realize the true magnitude of this."

He looked up and met her serious, dark brown eyes. "Of course I do. I wouldn't do this sort of thing on a whim."

She looked away from his intense gaze, to make sure everything was showing up on the screen as it should. "We've lost so many great military leaders in this fucking conflict."

He flinched as he remembered many of those people has been his peers, and a few had been his friends. "I know. But I don't plan to be lost any time soon, or ever. I plan to retire."

She found herself reassured by his confidence, and took the syringe with the hilaprophen between her fingers. "Okay. Here we go."

He turned his right forearm up, and she tapped him a few times before skillfully inserting the needle. The dose was administered in less than five seconds, and she put a small, smooth plastic covering over it to staunch the blood. He remained silent as the drug made its way to his brain, and began opening the neural pathways that would allow them to record his mind. It was a strange, vaguely invasive feeling that Adam couldn't place. Dr. Holden was staring at the vitals screen, and it was showing exactly what it should be. The drug was working.

"Not recording yet," Dr. Ackerly said over the speaker. "Both his conscious and subconscious mind are still interacting and blocking the full effects."

Adam felt like he'd been thrown under the bus. "Hey, I'm not trying to block anything. I'm even trying to recall military-specific things."

Dr. Holden nodded, bringing the communication device up to her face again. "I know. We anticipated this. Administering the fospropofol now," she said as she exchanged the device for the syringe, scoping out a spot just below the one she'd just used for the hilaprophen. "Don't worry, Adam. Don't worry about remembering things, just relax. Dr. Ackerly, myself, and the hilaprophen will do the rest."

The drug was setting in more now, and he found himself feeling light - like his legs weren't there. "Yes, I... can feel that."

"Are you alright?" She hesitated, the needle just above his arm.

"I feel light-headed and weird, but not nauseated. I'm ready to go to sleep."

"Okay," Dr. Holden's face unfurled. "Commander, I promise this'll be okay. I'm here to make sure it will. And I will be here when you wake up."

He felt further away and more floaty than ever. "Thanks, Gwen."

At that, she plunged the fospropofol into his bloodstream. She watched his vital signs again as she spoke into the device in her pocket. His pulse dropped a bit and his breathing rate relaxed. "First dose of fospropofol administered. Commander, are you awake?"

"I-am..." Adam tried to say, upon being prompted, but his eyes fluttered closed again. His jaw went slack.

"He's out," Dr. Ackerly confirmed, staring at his screen. "Prepare the two hour fospropofol bag, as planned."

"I know," she said, annoyed. She adjusted his head to sit on the main lead more directly again, as it had rolled off to the side as he tried to say he was conscious. Then she grabbed the comms device proper, and set it down on the small table under the vital screen, permanently on. "I know he's out. Will do."

She connected a permenant intravenous line into his right hand. The fospropofol bag had been previously prepared and was waiting for her on the counter, and she looped it behind the chair to a small hook on the side of the vitals screen. She started the drip and sat down on the stool, on standby should anything go physically wrong.

"The drip has been started. What's happening on your end?" She asked, her voice now deeply serious and monotone.

"The first dose of fospropofol is now in full effect. When the level has remained stable for two minutes, we can start the recording. One minute has already passed," Dr. Ackerly replied, rather energetically. He, on the other hand, was brimming with unbridled passion.

Dr. Holden nodded at him through the glass. She was feeling just the same - she just wasn't so prone to showing it. She looked at Adam again. He looked rather peaceful in his medically-induced unconsciousness.

"Recording has started," he said just one long moment later. "Vitals are normal. Interactions between the fospropofol and hilaprophen are as predicted and tested. First ten seconds of recording appears to be sucessful."

She let out a long sigh of relief. "I'm going to stay in here as planned. We can start processing it once we're sure Adam has suffered no adverse effects."

"Affirmative," came the Major's gruff, butchy voice. "I'm glad everything's worked out in here so far. Your research is just... fucking amazing, and it's paying off."

Dr. Holden turned on the stool to face the glass again, unable to hide her smile and appreciation at the recognition. Her and Dr. Ackerly's research was top-secret, so no one really got to marvel at them. "Thank you, ma'am."

"Welp, now that I see everything's running smoothly, I'm making a coffee run. You two need anything? I'll be back after them two hours have passed."

She raised her eyebrows, both surprised and relieved at the offer.

"Yes, please. Get me an extra large, black, two sugar."

"You got it."

The major excused herself from the labratory, noting Dr. Ackerly's order on her way out. He was still glued to the computer, trying to decode the data as it rapidly scrolled up the dual screens. "Everything's good, Gwen. You can come back in if you want."

"It's okay. It'd be against protocol, anyways."

He didn't say anything after that, and she positioned the stool near the wall so she could lean back on it. She kept one eye open and on the Commander, though - if anything went wrong and, worst case, he died or became vegetative, the Bureau of Sensitive Matters would have a hell of a mess to clean up. Surely, their program would be shut down or reverted back to initial research and development after that. No, she'd definitely wait it out, and make absolutely sure their first and most elidgible canditate would be able to give regular updates of his nearly perfect military mind - his methods were harsh but effective, and his strategy on the battlefield is nigh unparalled, even keeping up with the latest weapons and intelligence developments with ease. He was expertly intimidating, and tempered with just enough individual compassion to earn him the instant respect of all who met him. With all of this at stake, there was, quite simply, no room breaking protocol now.


End file.
